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Story Scene Structure with Senses

SENSES

This lists sensory scenes writing considerations. Make notes for every one
applicable. If you have clear ideas for each suggestion, writing first drafts is
easy.

Thinking through the viewpoint character, or narrators view, is
imperative to writing successful scenes. Readers want to make personal
connections with characters, via their actions and thoughts about other
characters.

There are more than just the big five senses, taste, touch, sight, smell
and hearing. Everyone knows those, but there are lots. You may wonder why I
ordered the senses as I have. It’s because it’s what I feel the best order of
immediacy is for writers.

Sense is massively important in fiction. It gives readers experiences to
feel. Relating to books is what makes them special. Even the most exotic alien
world is relatable, when the writing is good at conveying the human
condition.

Perception is a requirement. It’s very important to consider first as it sets
the scene.

Other,is the senses
immediately on characters minds. That’s why they are needed second.

Minor, comes
next if characters aren’t distressed. These are rarely used. Just in special
circumstances. Writers should think them before the major senses, as they are
so rare and unusual.

Major senses
follow the minor. They end with sights of objects, which leads to
characters. Character description starts with the perception of characters
as objects, before moving into the personal realm.

PERCEPTION

Perception applies to outside effects perceivable by humans. It covers
many things.

Time

Time applies to start and end times scenes. Knowing this means, you have
an estimated scene length. This is an important pacing factor.

Atmosphere

Atmosphere applies to everything in the air. This will mostly be the
weather.

Location

Location is the whereabouts of scenes. Include as much detail as you
want. You can create fictitious businesses, houses and towns.

It’s good doing about any amount of world building, as big or as small
as you like. Commonly, you will use the real world, with real places, but go
wild with fantasy creations.

If you write sci-fi or fantasy, and your characters are from other
planets, solar systems, galaxies or universes, how does life differ? What are
the rules in place? Do they use real world physics?

Familiar, memorable settings become new characters. Store these in
separate folders, adding documents for each setting. Having this means, you
will remember where rooms, streets and mountains are. You may group settings
together. Such times include if you have many buildings in one city.

Make documents for each setting used in your scene list. When you have a
setting list, make notes for what characters will see, hear, smell, taste and
touch when visiting there. You could develop this into a full description to
reference in drafts.

It’s good considering frequent weather conditions of settings. You can
use them to add depth to situations for effect. Add this as you write. Weather
is a changeable beast.

Another idea is making documents outlining objects found only in your
realms. This can be futuristic food, drink, magical items and others. These
fantasy objects act as characters too.

OTHER

Why have I included ‘other’ before any ‘others’ I head you ask. It is
because this is the most logical order to think about the senses when setting
scenes.

Pressure

If characters are in outer space, or on unfamiliar terrains, they will
feel physical pressure. There will also feel the weight of any pressures in
their lives.

Pain

Pain is a forgotten sense, but how could one forget pain? Your
characters will feel it immediately. Tackle it with the same urgency.

Feeling

Characters emotions will come into play after dealing with their
physical pain. Feelings are expressed, once pain is addressed.

MINOR

Taste

Taste, as a sense, is rarely used in fiction, unless during the obvious
task of eating. Not many books focus on eating as an activity, due to little
action, but some do.

Balance

Another seldom seen sense is balance. If your character starts scenes on
tightropes, or rickety wooden bridges about to imminently collapse, then
readers need to know the fear and lack of balance felt.

Touch

Try thinking of what characters think as they touch objects. Something
soft may bring up memories. These memories can trigger further story actions,
while establishing character.

Different characters feel things differently too. A hardened war veteran
isn’t going to complain about rough toilet paper. Toddlers will scream when
hurt.

MAJOR

Sound

Make lists of common sounds in locations. This means you have
descriptive options for drafts.

Smell

Like sound, make lists of common smells in locations. Again, this means
you have descriptive options for drafting.

Sight

You should make lists of objects noticeable in locations. This can be
wall or carpet colours, furniture types, and more. Additional notes mean
continuity errors are less likely. If you have a frequently used location,
treat it like a character.

CHARACTERS

After ‘setting scenes’, think about what characters are ready to act,
and add them to the fold. Initially, consider characters ‘sights’. This is
because they are objects until active.

Focus on the tertiary characters as objects first. Who is filling the
background? Then focus on the secondary characters. With whom is the main
character going to interact? Then look at the main character and themselves as
objects.

Then focus on the main characters personal thoughts about the tertiary,
secondary characters, then themselves, before moving to the action. This sets
the scene internally for characters. The reader also knows what they know
before the scene unfolds.